Tips on minimising food waste

 

With latest research showing that the average household squanders £420 a year - that’s £35 a month - on food waste, the Vale of Glamorgan Council is urging local residents to review their weekly shopping habits.

 

In a bid to help residents become smarter shoppers, the council’s waste awareness department is offering a few tips on how best to restrict the amount of food being thrown away and, of course, save money. They say:

  • Make a menu plan and prepare a shopping list - know what you are buying and why.
  • Cut out impulse food buying.
  • Review portion sizes. If you are regularly throwing out food, you need to be serving up less.
  • Think about recipes that are great for leftovers; there are plenty of ways to be creative.
  • Be mindful about use by dates. Once products are purchased, think about the order you intend turning them into delicious meals from the fridge.
  • In the case of a fast approaching use by date, raw meat from the freezer can be cooked, re-frozen and used at a later date.
  • It’s often cheaper to buy in bulk or larger sizes (such as boxes of cereals). The bonus is that you also reduce the amount of packaging as you just have one big box instead of two smaller ones.
  • If you are only cooking for one or two people, once again it’s simple to double the quantity and invest in some freezer plastic containers; only serve what you need and portion up the rest to freeze and eat another time.
  • Grow your own salad items, fruit and vegetables. It’s fabulous to become involved in a community allotment, find a corner in your garden, or even create a window box or hanging basket.
  • Look out for little farm shops where you can pick up bargains.
  • Don’t forget you may wish to invest in a home composter; about half of your food waste could be turned into compost for your garden in about one year. You qualify for a special deal as a Vale resident; prices start at just £10. For those on benefits and senior citizens, there’s still time to claim your free composter, with the last few available to collect from the council's Alps office at Wenvoe.